Two Arab-Israeli lawyers, brother and sister, were convicted of exploiting their positions to run a communications network between Hamas and Islamic Jihad prisoners and leaders.
Medhat and Shireen Issawi, aged 42 and 37 respectively, have been under arrest since March, 2014. Arab-Israeli siblings from the eastern Jerusalem neighborhood of Issawiya, they were operating the Al-Quds law firm since January 2012, allegedly providing “legislative and trade services” while employing several lawyers who visited security prisoners from Hamas and the Islamic Jihad.
The lawyers used these visits to convey messages and help coordinate activities and communications between security prisoners, including terrorist leaders who committed massive terror attacks, terrorist operatives outside of prison, and terrorist organization leaderships.
“During their visits, the lawyers transferred messages and letters from terrorist leaders containing information on local organizations, hunger strikes, money transfers and messages for Hamas leaders in Gaza and abroad,” said Haim Fass of the Jerusalem District State Attorney’s office.
“They effectively helped the terror organizations coordinate their activities with their prisoners,” said Fass. “They exploited visits by lawyers supposedly used for legal consultation, and used them to aid and coordinate the activities of terrorist organizations.”
The verdict issued by the Jerusalem District Court stated that the lawyers “had exploited their positions, which enabled them to attend to prisoners’ legal issues for the purpose of terrorist activities.”
They received money in return from a Gaza law firm representing terror organizations, which was transferred to the lawyers’ bank accounts. They were in contact with the “Al-Nur” association, belonging to Hamas, and with an identically named association belonging to Islamic Jihad, both of which have been outlawed in Israel.
The lawyers were convicted of contacting foreign agents and of dozens of counts of both aiding an unlawful association and use of property for the purpose of terrorism.
They will remain in custody until sentenced 90 days from now.
By: Michael Bachner/TPS
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